LeBron James continues to make nightly history while leading the Los Angeles Lakers through a critical road trip amid a tight playoff race. You know, normal Year 21 stuff.
On Sunday at the Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets were victimized by the most efficient high-volume 3-point shooting performance of LeBron’s NBA career. The 39-year-old drained nine of his 10 attempts from downtown in the Lakers’ 116-104 win.
The nine makes tied LeBron’s single-game career high and marked the most in franchise history (minimum 10 attempts). LeBron also passed Michael Jordan for the most 30+ point games in NBA history, including playoffs.
“Nine for 10, and the ones he was shooting wasn’t hitting the rim,” said Anthony Davis. “It’s always great to watch. Most points in NBA history. The way he shot it tonight, masterful.”
“He’s become a three-level scorer,” Davis added. “When he shoots the ball like that — guys know he’s a powerful driver, and now you can’t go under his screens. Cause he’ll shoot ’em. And he’ll make ’em.”
LeBron exited to a standing ovation from the Nets crowd (of mostly Lakers fans) with 2:52 to go and the Lakers up by 16. He finished with 40 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 37 minutes.
“It’s a really good feeling when you have it going and you’re winning,” he said.
LeBron is now shooting 41.5% from 3-point range this season, which would mark a career-high. At this point last year, he was shooting 30.6% from deep — his lowest rate ever.
“I’ve been able to be on the floor … on non-game days, my foot has felt a lot better,” said LeBron.
LeBron is managing left ankle soreness, but it doesn’t appear to hinder his lift like the torn right foot tendon he played through last spring.
Thanks to their own hot shooting (and some Lakers’ sloppiness), the Nets briefly flipped the momentum in the second half, cutting the margin to eight with 11:42 to play. LeBron promptly hit back-to-back 3s to squash the rally.
“I’m just trying to continue to put my game at a point where I have no weaknesses out on the floor, especially offensively,” said LeBron. “Tonight, I had it going from the 3-point line, and I was able to make a few in the fourth quarter.”
“The long ball in our game is definitely a momentum shifter.”
For the most part, the Lakers cruised through the 116-104 contest. Anthony Davis put up 24 points and 14 rebounds on 9-of-12 shooting. Rui Hachimura had 20 and 10. D’Angelo Russell threw a lob to Austin Reaves. They welcomed Gabe Vincent (14 minutes) back from a 46-game absence.
All in all, Sunday offered a refreshing palate-cleansing for the Lakers after their sluggish legs and related cold shooting cost them a “wasted opportunity” on Friday against the Indiana Pacers.
The Lakers (42-33) are now 3-1 on what LeBron called a “testy” five-game East Coast road trip. They’ve won six of seven overall and sit one game back of the Sacramento Kings (42-31) for 8th place in the Western Conference.
They’ll visit two lottery teams, the Toronto Raptors (Tuesday) and the Washington Wizards (Thursday) before heading back to Los Angeles.
“Incredible,” Darvin Ham said about LeBron. “Just extremely thankful that he packed the cape on the road trip.”
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